Winter Season Blues
With the winter solstice that has passed on December 21st this calls for what I call the winter season blues. Otherwise known as seasonal depression. Many of us are no stranger to depression & anxiety. In fact it can almost feel like an unbearable cross between wanting to be happy & upbeat but then also feeling an unwavering feeling of sadness & discontentment. The nights are longer while the day seems to be lost in just a snap of a finger. That little peak of sunlight is almost like our saving grace.
I personally remember my very first encounter of depression. It was about 2 years ago. I am normally a high vibe person but at this point I was going through a dark night of the soul. If you don’t know what that is its basically a long period of shadow work. The tricky part to shadow work is that if you’re in it too long you can almost feel stuck there. Almost like you wont get out of what feels like a deep dark hole filled with all the things you left in the deepest part of your subconscious. It was scary. Especially since it was my first time feeling such heavy emotions. It ultimately led me to my depression. I had no motivation to do anything. Everyday just seemed incredibly hard to get through. Even though nothing externally was happening, it was all internal. I just didn’t see the purpose of anything at that point.
If you are experiencing this currently or even have in the past & you’re afraid of going through this again just know that it doesn’t last forever. One thing I’ve come to realize along my healing journey is that nothing is forever. Even though it may feel that way in the moment, it’s all an illusion. Often times those heavy emotions you are feeling are simply rising to the surface to be purged & fully released. The more we try to force ourselves out of the deep dark hole is the quicker those emotions will come back because there was no actual acceptance of them. In order to heal, the first thing we must do is feel. Don’t judge yourself for feeling what you feel. Observe those emotions. Feel them. & find a healthy way to release them so that you can move along with grace.
This could also be a good time to move your body. This could be through dance, exercise, yoga, etc. The thing about energy is that it’s always moving within & around us. Every feeling/emotion is considered an energy. Energy can only be transmuted but never destroyed. Change the narrative by moving with the energy you are feeling. Even if its for 10 minutes. It doesn’t really matter how long you do it but just be intentional about it. Remember to also take as much time as you need. Whether that’s from family members, friends, even a lover if you have one. Let them know what you’re feeling & if you can’t vocalize what you need be sure to tell them that & ask for space to deal with it on your own.
For those that aren’t feeling any heaviness be sure to check in on your loved ones who are no strangers to feeling it. A simple “just thinking of you” text can shift anyone’s energy. It’s all in the little things. Even if you aren’t feeling the blues, you never know when you might start. That same individual could aid you in that process later. Like it or not, we’re all connected. Show up for them just like you would anything or anyone else. Without depleting yourself, of course.
Be gentle with yourself. After all, we are in the season of hibernation. You don’t have to be on go all of the time, no matter what image society paints. Do whats best for YOU. & remember you are never alone.
